Tete-a-Tete
Disclaimer: The characters are the creation of Naoko Takeuchi, yada, yada, yada.
Busted:
In the kitchen, the older couple spoke while preparing desert. "Ikuko, we have let our daughter have too much freedom."
"Perhaps so, but we can't put the chick back in the shell."
"He is older."
"He is responsible."
"He has no family."
"Her friends approve."
"There is danger in the city."
"He is strong and brave."
"He could take advantage of her."
"But he hasn't. He is gentle and understanding. Kenji, I like him."
"So do I, Ikuko, but Serena is so young."
"She is a young woman now. It is natural for her to think of love."
"She should be thinking about her studies. She spends too much time out."
"I...agree. We should know where she is when she goes out."
"And with whom."
"Perhaps if she is accompanied?"
"Yes, that is a solution. If we are agreed, let us go inform them."
------------------------------ * -----------------------------
Darien watched Serena's enthusiastic, single-minded playing with admiration for her spirit moving him out of his brooding thoughts.
"Are you going to play, Darien?" Sammy offered.
"No, I don't really care to play video games, Sammy."
"But you go to the arcade a lot, don't you?" he asked curiously.
"I go for the company. My friend Andrew works there. *And I see the girls there.* You're a good player, how come I don't see you there?"
"I like to spend my time playing baseball or soccer and my money on models."
"What kind of models?" Darien inquired.
"Spaceships and battle droids, want to come up and see them?" he enthused.
"Sure, later." Darien noticed Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino at the door, bearing trays, one with cups and pots, the other with cake and plates.
"Ready for desert?" Mrs. Tsukino announced.
Serena immediately turned off the game and jumped up. "Here, Dad, I'll take that," she said, taking the tray with the cake.
"Serena said you liked coffee, Darien," Mrs. Tsukino said, offering him a cup.
"Yes, thank you. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
"No, I prefer it also. It's nice to have someone share it with me."
There was a silence while Serena served the cake, trying hard not to drop anything, It was a lucious chocolate and usually she would have dug right in, licking frosting from her fingers. Darien watched her taking dainty bites, quite unlike her usual mode of attack. There was a dab of frosting on her lips, just asking to be...
"Ahem."
Darien started guiltily, his eyes flicking with fear as Mr. Tsukino cleared his throat. Now was the time.
"I, we have decided to let you two continue seeing each other if you are not distracted from your schoolwork, Serena."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, Daddy!"
"And if you let us know where you are going when you go out, Darien."
"Yes, sir," Darien replied, relieved.
"And," Mrs. Tsukino added, "you have someone else with you when you visit at Darien's, Serena."
"Busted," said Sammy.
"Would Luna count?" Serena asked hopefully.
"Luna is a cat. No," Mr. Tsukino said glowering.
"You may take Rini or any of the other girls," said Mrs. Tsukino with a smile, "Agreed?"
"Agreed," Serena said with a sigh, exchanging a glance with Darien.
"If you are done with your cake, why don't you two walk over to Momo's and pick up Rini?" Mrs. Tsukino requested, tactfully giving them an excuse to leave.
"Sure, Mom. Come on, Darien," grabbing his hand, she led him to the door.
"Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Tsukino, Mr. Tsukino," he said politely.
"You're welcome," Mrs. Tsukino said graciously.
"Oh, and Darien," Mr. Tsukino started gruffly.
"Yes?" he answered with trepidation. *What now?*
"Don't be a stranger."
AN: I want to thank those that have given this story such good reviews. Don't be sad that it has ended, I will soon be posting a much longer story continuing the tale of Darien and Serena entitled 'Real Lives: Behind the Tux and the Fuku'. Romance, intrigue, humor, danger, look for it!
Disclaimer: The characters are the creation of Naoko Takeuchi, yada, yada, yada.
Busted:
In the kitchen, the older couple spoke while preparing desert. "Ikuko, we have let our daughter have too much freedom."
"Perhaps so, but we can't put the chick back in the shell."
"He is older."
"He is responsible."
"He has no family."
"Her friends approve."
"There is danger in the city."
"He is strong and brave."
"He could take advantage of her."
"But he hasn't. He is gentle and understanding. Kenji, I like him."
"So do I, Ikuko, but Serena is so young."
"She is a young woman now. It is natural for her to think of love."
"She should be thinking about her studies. She spends too much time out."
"I...agree. We should know where she is when she goes out."
"And with whom."
"Perhaps if she is accompanied?"
"Yes, that is a solution. If we are agreed, let us go inform them."
------------------------------ * -----------------------------
Darien watched Serena's enthusiastic, single-minded playing with admiration for her spirit moving him out of his brooding thoughts.
"Are you going to play, Darien?" Sammy offered.
"No, I don't really care to play video games, Sammy."
"But you go to the arcade a lot, don't you?" he asked curiously.
"I go for the company. My friend Andrew works there. *And I see the girls there.* You're a good player, how come I don't see you there?"
"I like to spend my time playing baseball or soccer and my money on models."
"What kind of models?" Darien inquired.
"Spaceships and battle droids, want to come up and see them?" he enthused.
"Sure, later." Darien noticed Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino at the door, bearing trays, one with cups and pots, the other with cake and plates.
"Ready for desert?" Mrs. Tsukino announced.
Serena immediately turned off the game and jumped up. "Here, Dad, I'll take that," she said, taking the tray with the cake.
"Serena said you liked coffee, Darien," Mrs. Tsukino said, offering him a cup.
"Yes, thank you. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
"No, I prefer it also. It's nice to have someone share it with me."
There was a silence while Serena served the cake, trying hard not to drop anything, It was a lucious chocolate and usually she would have dug right in, licking frosting from her fingers. Darien watched her taking dainty bites, quite unlike her usual mode of attack. There was a dab of frosting on her lips, just asking to be...
"Ahem."
Darien started guiltily, his eyes flicking with fear as Mr. Tsukino cleared his throat. Now was the time.
"I, we have decided to let you two continue seeing each other if you are not distracted from your schoolwork, Serena."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, Daddy!"
"And if you let us know where you are going when you go out, Darien."
"Yes, sir," Darien replied, relieved.
"And," Mrs. Tsukino added, "you have someone else with you when you visit at Darien's, Serena."
"Busted," said Sammy.
"Would Luna count?" Serena asked hopefully.
"Luna is a cat. No," Mr. Tsukino said glowering.
"You may take Rini or any of the other girls," said Mrs. Tsukino with a smile, "Agreed?"
"Agreed," Serena said with a sigh, exchanging a glance with Darien.
"If you are done with your cake, why don't you two walk over to Momo's and pick up Rini?" Mrs. Tsukino requested, tactfully giving them an excuse to leave.
"Sure, Mom. Come on, Darien," grabbing his hand, she led him to the door.
"Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Tsukino, Mr. Tsukino," he said politely.
"You're welcome," Mrs. Tsukino said graciously.
"Oh, and Darien," Mr. Tsukino started gruffly.
"Yes?" he answered with trepidation. *What now?*
"Don't be a stranger."
AN: I want to thank those that have given this story such good reviews. Don't be sad that it has ended, I will soon be posting a much longer story continuing the tale of Darien and Serena entitled 'Real Lives: Behind the Tux and the Fuku'. Romance, intrigue, humor, danger, look for it!